Ernesto Valverde claims ‘there will never be another’ Andres Iniesta as the departing Barcelona icon ‘let us live football in every dimension’.
“The treatment he received after I brought him on was very moving,” the Coach said after Sunday’s 1-0 win against Real Sociedad, during which he took off the midfielder in the 82nd minute.
“He’s a player with a special type of magic. He makes easy what we all find difficult, and this is the essence of his football. He’s let us live football in every dimension.
“You never know when the best time [to take him off] is. I wanted him to come off quite far into the game, and when Messi came on, you could see they had good chemistry and you wait to see if they can score.
“Ultimately, however, I think he came off at a good time because the fans were able to say goodbye and give him all their love. It was very moving.
“Fans chanting his name non-stop? I can say I was the Coach and was there. Moments like these are unrepeatable and historical.
“I feel privileged to have coached Iniesta like all the others before me. We’re talking about a unique, one-of-a-kind player.
“There will never be another player like him, and I had the good luck to coach him.”
